Benedict Arnold's 'Reckless Invasion'

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Stephen Hempstead Monument. (courtesy of Connecticut…)

August 16, 2013|Barb Nagy, Connecticut Landmarks, New London

On Friday, Sept. 6, Connecticut Landmarks' Hempsted Houses present A Conversation with Historian Matt Reardon. Historian Matt Reardon, executive director of the Connecticut Civil War Museum and author of a forthcoming book on Benedict Arnold's 1781 raid on Groton and New London, will speak on the 232nd anniversary of the attack. His topic is the British strategy for the raid and the Patriots' strategy for the defense.

Program begins at 6 p.m.; the Hempsted Houses will be open to visitors at 5:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served. Suggested donation is $5; proceeds benefit the Friends of Fort Griswold and the Hempsted Houses.

On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 7 and 8, from 1 to 4 p.m., the Hempsted Houses guide staff will highlight the story of Stephen Hempstead during tours, to commemorate the anniversary of Benedict Arnold's attack on New London and Groton. Hempstead, a friend of Nathan Hale, was born here in 1784 and was badly injured in the nearby Battle of Fort Griswold on Sept. 6, 1781. Regular admission applies; CTL members free.

Matthew Reardon earned a BA in history and an MA in education from Sacred Heart University in Faifield. His primary interest lies in early American Military History, focusing on the American Revolution and the Civil War. He currently serves as a teacher in the Vernon Public Schools and is executive director of the New England Civil War Museum in Rockville. He currently resides in Tolland. His article "Raid on New London" was published in Todd Andrilk's book "Reporting the Revolutionary War" in 2012. His first book tentatively titled, "The Most Desperate Defense: Fort Griswold and the Raid on New London" is forthcoming.